Death and Life
by cinderella317
Summary: What happens when Gabriella is threatened? And she chooses to die? What will happen? Rated T for language. Involves PINK JELLY!


**Disclaimer: I own nothing mentioned in this story. Nor the characters, and the TV show, Lincoln Heights**

Gabriella was in her bathroom, wondering what to do. Troy was bound to be coming by any second. It was dump him or death, and Troy deserved happiness, real happiness.

_Previously _

_Gabriella was on the phone with a guy named Drew._

**_Gabriella, listen to me and don't say a word. At the stroke of midnight three of these things will happen. With your co-operation or not, one, dump Troy, two, go to the marketplace on 17th Avenue, and three, you will eat a tablespoon of pink jelly. Now I know that Troy or someone is in the room with you so nod your head and say, "Okay. I will see you tomorrow at school"_**

_Okay I will see you tomorrow at school _

_**Very well Gabriella. You are as smart as you propose. If you decide not to do any of this, I have a box of matches and smart people don't play with fire. Especially when it involves their family, boyfriend, and home. Understand? Good, when you hang up tell them that I am just a friend want to know about homework for math. Caprice?**_

_Yes _

_**Okay, you will see me around if you decide not to do these things. Now say bye and hang up.**_

_Bye._

_Gabriella left her house and went to the market and bought a small container of pink jelly. She called Troy to come over. After changing her clothes and putting the jelly under the bed with a measuring spoon, she walked into the bathroom._

Present Time

Troy rang the doorbell before letting himself in. He pounced upstairs, eager to see his girlfriend. Gabriella had tear-stung eyes, and when Troy walked in, he stopped dead in his tracks. "Gabriella?"

She glared at him, faking it of course, "Asshole, Motherf-cker, jerk, whore, bitch, you are the worst boyfriend in the world. I HATE you! You ruined my chances of getting a scholarship. YOU PUT THE FUCKING GUILT TRIP ON ME TO APPLY AND ENTER YOUR COLLEGE.'

'Just so we could "be together." You know what screw being together, screw anything that has to do with you. You and you asses of friends can go screw bleach dumb blondes that don't have a future. I am officially sick and tired of you!!! Get out!!!!!!!!!" Troy staggered back, taking in everything Gabriella just said. "What?"

Gabriella was so sad for hurting him but it's better this than getting consumed by flames. "Does the wildcat need a translation? We-are-OVER!!! Good bye!" And she held her door open for him and pushed him out.

After she heard the front door close and his sniffles silence, she got out the jelly. She took an exact measurement of it and swallowed it. Feeling her throat burn, suffocating for air, her skin breaking out, and her vision cutting off, she knew that she was facing true pain. This was the fire for her; this was what everyone would have faced if she hadn't chosen the death road.

She heard her door open but couldn't see anything. She felt a pair of arms pick her up, "Gabriella? What did you do?" Gabriella was being overcome by a warm feeling, a light. She was gladly giving up, not fighting anything, and not resisting the facts. She was dying.

As she slid into unconsciousness, she saw her baby sister that had died at childbirth. She was older now. She was laughing and playing the meadow. When Gabriella looked around she saw her dad, her great grandmother, her aunt, her stepmother.

Everyone that she had lost was there surrounding her. She felt at home and thankful that the empty feeling had left her heart that had been burdening her heart for years.

Then suddenly she was jerked out of her warm place, the numbness overcame her, and she was in a dark place with voices that were overlapping her. Out of all of them, she heard her mom's sobs, Troy's comforting words, my little brother calling my name, and Drew was crying. Gabriella was confused, why was Drew crying? Why was he showing his face after what he blackmailed her into?

Gabriella's heart rate increased massively, "Welcome back Miss Montez. We have been hoping for your return." Gabriella was exhausted. She was regaining sight and her throat felt well. Her breathing was stable, but labored.

"Why am I still alive? I should be dead by now. How did I survive the jelly?" Gabriella shot questions left and right. Gabriella's mom spoke, raspy, "This man," gesturing to Drew, "saved you before you left us. He called 911. Luckily there was an ambulance passing by and was able to be there within minutes. He did some life saving exercises, and then the ambulance took over. Putting your body on morphine, a respirator, and laughing gas.'

'The respirator wouldn't go down your swollen throat so they had to do an incision into your throat, right above the collarbone, where the swelling was minimized the most. Then they put ice on you neck and pushed some down your throat to reduce the swelling. Oh, Gabriella, why did you try to leave us?" Her mom was really sad, and was in tears again.

Gabriella avoided her gaze and locked eyes with Troy. Then she spoke, "Will you guys give Troy and I some privacy please?"

Everyone left except the nighttime nurse.

"Troy, please tell me that you didn't believe anything that I yelled at you earlier. None of it was true!" Troy rolled his eyes, "Then why did you say it in the first place? Gabriella that really hurt, I was so depressed about everything that you said." Gabriella scooted over and patted on the bed for Troy to come sit on the bed, he obliged.

Gabriella started to talk, "You know that guy Drew?" Troy nodded, "He blackmailed me into it. He called me and told me that I was to dump you, buy a container of pink jelly, and eat a tablespoon of it. Somehow he found out that I am deathly allergic to that stuff. He said that if I didn't do any of it then the consequence involved a box of matches, my family, you, and my home.'

'I did it to protect you guys. I love you with my whole heart. And it emotionally killed me to say those things to you. I didn't know what to do. It's better that 1 life is gone than like 15 of them." Troy just stared at her, "Then why did Drew save you?"

Gabriella responded, "That's what I was trying to figure out. I think that he was going for the hero image or something." She shrugged her shoulders. "Troy, are we okay?" He smiled, leaned in and gave her a loving kiss on the lips. "I take that as a yes."

They hugged and then Gabriella's mom walked in. "Gabriella, I think you owe someone a thank you." Gabriella repeated everything that she said to Troy, and then Gabriella's mom went to call the cops and testify what happened to her daughter.

Gabriella got Troy's attention and started talking about what happened to her while she was out. "I saw my loved ones, my step mom, my baby sister, my dad, my aunt and great grandmother. They looked so good; they were healthy, and happy. All of them were doing things that they loved. My baby sister is all grown up now, she looks just like me in the fifth grade, and she was dancing and playing in a meadow. I felt so happy and loved; it was a warm and nice feeling that I felt. I wanted to stay, even if it meant dying. But for some reason all of them were ghost-like, they couldn't talk.'

'Then I remembered that I have a family back at home. A boyfriend that I loved, and a mother that couldn't deal with another death of her family, I left that place to come back. And I am thankful that I did. Because whatever it was, I was still unhappy for that single second. Because you wern't with me," Gabriella stroked his cheek and he closed his eyes and leaned into her touch so that her hand was cradling his face.

Gabriella continued, "I love you Troy. You know that, and I will never let you forget that." Troy smiled, "I love you too Gabriella. Everything will be okay." She smiled and nodded her head, "I know. As long as we are together, I can handle anything." They shared a simple kiss full of love.

Then Gabriella's nighttime nurse came in to check her vital signs, temperature, blood pressure and such. After she left some police officers walked, and Troy grasped her hand when they started talking. "Miss Montez, I know that you are in a very critical condition, but we are very happy that you have spoken up to lock up Mr. Hoyden. He was awarded 6 citizen hero plaques. They were all because he saved girls your age, from a deathly experience. The girls just completed a questioning process about him. Apparently he threatened them with something that they were allergic to or deathly afraid of. They did the things that he told them to, to keep the ones that they loved safe.'

'Then right before they died, he would burst in and "save" them. Then the mayor would award him a plaque. It was a very twisted idea for him, but we were about to start an investigation on him and his actions. But you saved us that trouble. And I am thankful that you are alive and safe. Please have a good day." They bowed their heads and walked out as Troy got off of Gabriella's bed and went to turn the TV on. They watched Lincoln Heights and fell asleep in each other's arms.

**Here was a little one-shot that I wanted to write. Feel free to review and such!**


End file.
